David Cameron rejects criticism that Government letter to Muslims showed 'far-right' views

DAVID Cameron has rejected criticism that a Government letter sent to Muslim leaders echoed the "far-right" view of Islam.

Eric Pickles has been challenged over a letter he sent to Muslim leaders

Eric Pickles was accused of singling out Islam as "inherently" apart from British society by the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).

In a letter sent to more than 1,000 Muslim leaders the Communities Secretary had urged them to do more to root out extremists and prevent young people being radicalised.

The MCB said they would be writing to Mr Pickles to clarify his request to Muslims to "explain and demonstrate how faith in Islam can be part of British identity".

However, Mr Cameron insisted the letter was "reasonable, sensible and moderate" and suggested that anyone who opposed it "really has a problem".

Answering questions after a speech in Ipswich, the Prime Minister said: "I think it is absolutely right to write this letter, to say that we all have a responsibility to fight extremism.

"Anyone who reads this letter - and I've read the letter - will see that what he is saying is that British Muslims make a great contribution to our country, that what is happening in terms of extremist terror has nothing to do with the true religion of Islam. It's being perverted by a minority who have been radicalised.

"But everyone needs to help with dealing with this problem of radicalisation.

PA

Security has been strengthened in the UK following the Paris terror attacks

We will be writing to Mr Eric Pickles to ask that he clarifies his request to Muslims to 'explain and demonstrate how faith in Islam can be part of British identity'.

Harun Khan - deputy secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain

"Anyone, frankly, reading this letter, who has a problem with it, I think really has a problem. I think it is the most reasonable, sensible, moderate letter that Eric could possibly have written.

"Frankly, all of us have a responsibility to try to confront this radicalisation and make sure that we stop young people being drawn into this poisonous fanatical death cult that a very small minority of people have created."

The letter co-signed by Conservative minister Mr Pickles and Muslim peer Communities Minister Lord Ahmad was sent to UK mosques after the Paris terror attacks.

The attacks, which took place over three days between January 7 and 9, was carried out by Islamic extremists in the French capital and left 20 dead.

The letter from Mr Pickles and Lord Ahmad said: "You, as faith leaders, are in a unique position in our society.

"You have a precious opportunity, and an important responsibility, in explaining and demonstrating how faith in Islam can be part of British identity.

"We believe together we have an opportunity to demonstrate the true nature of British Islam today.

"There is a need to lay out more clearly than ever before what being a British Muslim means today: proud of your faith and proud of your country.

"We know that acts of extremism are not representative of Islam, but we need to show what is."

PA

Theresa May has promised to tackle a rise in anti-Semetic attacks

Criticism of the letter from Muslim leaders was rejected by Lord Ahmad today who felt the MCB had "missed the point".

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live today, he said: "I think his response is disappointing.

"Within the letter there is an explicit paragraph that says British values are Muslim values. You can't be more explicit than that.

"Perhaps he wasn't clear in what the letter said but if you have seen a copy of the letter ... it has been pretty explicit that we want to work together with the Muslim community.

"This was about reassurance, it was about recognising, as Theresa May said only yesterday, that a Britain without Muslims, a Britain without Jews, Hindus, would not be the Britain we want to see."

The interview was in response to Harun Khan, deputy secretary-general of the MCB, criticising Lord Ahmad and Mr Pickles' letter to Mosques.

Mr Khan, deputy secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), said: "We will be writing to Mr Eric Pickles to ask that he clarifies his request to Muslims to 'explain and demonstrate how faith in Islam can be part of British identity'.

"Is Mr Pickles seriously suggesting, as do members of the far right, that Muslims and Islam are inherently apart from British society?"

The news came as security for police officers and the Jewish community in Britain was strengthened following the Paris terror attacks.